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Supreme Court ready to quash student protest FIRs
The Hindu··19 Aug
The Supreme Court on 18 August 2026 said it would use Article 142 to quash FIRs against students who joined NEET-UG protests. Cases against people with serious criminal records would be decided separately. Chief Justice Surya Kant asked for a list of FIRs that name only students. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said police would confine investigation to 2,873 persons.
Prism
What It Means For You
- If you were named in an FIR only as a student protester, the court has said it is ready to quash those cases under Article 142.
- Anyone with a prior charge such as murder or sexual offence who was at the protest site is in the 2,873-person group the Solicitor General said would still be investigated.
- If you alleged police misconduct on 20 July, a committee of former judges and police chiefs is to receive the day's video before the court issues its order.
What's Happening
- A three-judge bench heard NEET-protest petitions on 18 August.
- The Chief Justice said FIRs that clearly involve students would be quashed.
- Mehta told the court 2,873 people with serious criminal backgrounds had been identified.
What The Court Asked Police To Produce Next
- Justice Bagchi said the state cannot speak of undesirable elements in generic terms and must identify them.
- The Delhi Police affidavit listed about 240 injured personnel and 218 injured protesters but did not name internal action against officers accused of molesting women, petitioners said.
- On 3 August the court had already said criminal antecedents meant only grave and heinous offences.
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